


Believing Hearts

by momoxtoshiro



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: Diakko, Dianakko, F/F, Years later au, more angst and comfort and all that stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:33:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24655399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/momoxtoshiro/pseuds/momoxtoshiro
Summary: It's been three years since Akko has disappeared from Diana's life. All this time, Diana has been doing her utmost best to run Luna Nova alone as headmistress. However, Diana's magics are slipping away more and more each day. There's only one person who can help. But will she get to her in time? [Years Later AU].
Relationships: Diana Cavendish & Atsuko "Akko" Kagari, Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari
Comments: 4
Kudos: 58





	1. Lost Light

**Author's Note:**

> All right this is another fic set in theneonflower's Years Later AU so make sure you're familiar with that! In the general timeline, the events of this fic take place four years after Diana and Akko have graduated and been married. It's been three years since Akko disappeared, and Diana is just barely holding on without her.
> 
> We use some new information given to us by the show in here. Neon and I both agreed there were some canon events that would work perfectly in this AU. I wrote this all in one day, essentially, so it might be a little rushed/sloppy though.
> 
> Takes place after the events of Matters Of The Heart and before those of Every Second.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Little Witch Academia.

Morning comes, and it's quiet – cold.

Just like it always is.

Just like it has been for the past three years.

Even in the summers when the sun fills the room with early golden warmth, Diana is cold.

She wakes alone, just as she always had for the first eighteen years of her life, and now for the past three as well. There had only been a brief portion of time when she'd ever slept beside someone else.

That had been the time when Akko was there.

Inarguably, the best and most wonderful years of Diana's life.

But after three grueling years of harrowing loneliness, even she is beginning to forget the joys of those better times.

With each passing day where there is no news about her missing wife, Diana loses a bit more of her vitality, a bit more of herself.

She hasn't smiled in three years. Not genuinely. At least, not as genuinely as she _could've_ if Akko had been there beside her.

This morning is like all the others before it. She wakes, and she wakes alone. In a bed where there should be someone else beside her.

Her tired eyes scan the other half of the mattress.

Nothing will ever be as difficult as the first night she'd slept here without Akko.

At the time, she could still distinguish Akko's scent on the sheets and pillowcase. But that, too, has faded with time.

Diana can't remember what her wife smells like anymore. She's long-since forgotten. Part of her is certain she'd once known, but she doesn't anymore.

People had told her it would get easier with time. But Diana knew it never would.

Her pain only grows with each passing day, each passing second without Akko. The hole that her wife's absence has left behind in her wounded heart widens every day, expanding to blacken another inch of her soul.

She knows it will eventually swallow her.

She lives with this knowledge every day.

Every day when Akko isn't here.

She tries to occupy her thoughts and time with other things.

With the school. With her students. With her colleagues.

But all of that only ever works from dawn until dusk.

Every evening, she returns to a vacant, lifeless bedroom.

And every morning, she wakes to it again.

Again...

She has to do this all over again today.

It all feels like an obligation now. This isn't the kind of headmistress she longs to be. She never wanted to think of this position as a chore. But that's what it feels like.

Not only her work, but life itself.

It feels like a chore. Like a punishment.

Every day is darker than the one before, no matter how brightly the sun might be shining.

Because she's lost her light. She lost her long ago.

And she doesn't know how much longer she can last, holding out for a miracle that might never happen.

She faces this reality every waking second. With every exhausted breath. In every painful heartbeat.

The simple act of sitting herself up now sends a familiar ache through her chest, not so much from the movement itself, but from the sight of what she already knows she's going to see.

That empty space beside her.

Right on cue, a rigid chill shoots up her spine, making her shudder. She hugs herself with a dangerous fierceness, until her knuckles turn as white as her ashen hair.

It's to help keep herself together. That's what she tells herself.

But a darker part of her knows it's something else.

Her hands grip her sides tightly, nails digging in through the fabrics of her nightgown until they puncture her skin, leaving red crescent-shaped marks behind.

Sometimes, she just wants to keep squeezing.

Until her lungs stop working.

Until the air stops coming...

But she knows it isn't what Akko would have wanted. She _knows_ this.

And yet...

Diana has considered it many, many times. There had even been a few times when she'd nearly succeeded.

But each time, something's held her back. Just within an inch of her own life.

She looks now to that thing.

It shines there on her finger, a dull, sad glow, only a mere fraction of what it had once been.

Her marital ring. The one that matches Akko's.

Even after all this time, it's still shining. Barely, but it's enough to allow Diana to keep going, just one day longer.

Because what if Akko is still alive? What if she could come back?

Diana has battled between the optimism Akko had taught her and the skepticism life had taught her many times. She won't allow those shadowed thoughts to prevail. If Akko's taught her anything, it's how to believe.

Diana's heart may be broken – in every sense of the word – but it still holds the power to believe.

So she'll keep believing, for Akko's sake if no one else's. For as long as she can...

Diana loosens her hold on herself and catches her breath. She swallows as she begins to collect herself.

There is no threat of tears, however. Not anymore. She'd lost the ability to cry when she'd lost Akko.

She'd cried so hard and for so long that first night without her, but she hasn't been able to cry since. No matter how badly she's wanted to. She can't.

It's like a curse, to be unable to express her emotions. To be unable to feel the bitter liberation of tears.

Tears are another thing Akko had given her. The ability to feel wholeheartedly, be it joy or sorrow. Diana could always cry with her.

But now that's gone too.

Briefly, Diana brushes the back of her hand against Akko's pillow. She's rested her head there so many times, pretending she wasn't alone. But the more she pretended, the worse the reality hurt when the daydreams were over.

Diana brings her left hand up to her lips. She observes the feeble glow of her ring once more. Its light fades a little more each day, and so does her own.

One day, it will be extinguished completely. And every day, that day draws nearer.

Diana can feel it like a storm looming on the horizon. But she can't escape it, no matter how hard she may try to. The dark clouds roll closer by the second. And she can feel it won't be much longer now before they take her.

_But not today..._

She makes the same vow again as she has every morning for the past three years.

Because she knows Akko would want her to make it. Akko would want her to fight, to keep going, to keep believing. Diana will do it for her, for as long as she's able to.

It takes more strength for Diana to get herself out of bed each morning than it takes her to complete any other task. Complex spells and mountains of paperwork are child's play in comparison.

She staggers to her feet, gripping the bed post for balance. With the most difficult task of her day bested, she can face the rest.

Diana crosses her empty bedroom and picks up her robes, then her hat, and finally her wand. This, she stares at for a moment, her eyes vacant of shine.

"Please..." she whispers. "Last me one more day."

She asks this of her wand every morning, and every morning, her plea becomes more and more desperate.

She knows her magic is fading.

She's felt this before, after all. After her parents had passed.

After she'd lost her mother, she'd lost her magic. An emotional, mental, and spiritual strain so great, so debilitatingly horrendous it has resulted in the complete and utter loss of her magical abilities.

But then, she'd been young and inspired.

Then, she'd had the energy to keep trying, the willpower to keep pushing herself.

However, she knows her luck won't hold out a second time.

Not when she is like this.

A weary, broken shadow of her former self.

Her heart is physically damaged and weakened.

Her mind suffers from the emotional strain of her work, and her loneliness.

Her magics are deteriorating, slipping away from her a little more with every breath.

She knows.

Diana knows she is dying.

It is only a matter of when.

 _But... not today..._ she reminds herself. _Not today..._

She knows the day will come when she won't be able to make it out of her bed. When that day arrives, she will greet it.

Perhaps tomorrow.

But for now, she presses her lips softly against her ring, then turns to prepare herself for the day ahead.

* * *

**A/N: The show didn't specifically explain why/how Diana lost her magics as a child, but I think it's safe to assume it was because of the immense emotional strain it had on her. Therefore, it makes perfect sense it could happen again after she loses Akko in this AU.**

**Next chapter will be general information about Akko's situation.**

**Please review!**


	2. Shadows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the parts in it are from Akko's point of view. You can look up some of Neon's tags for an idea of what Akko looks like in her disguise, and more info about her in this part of the AU.
> 
> For those who don't know, Akko and Diana were married after they graduated. Diana become Luna Nova's headmistress and Akko went off to be a performer like Chariot as she always wanted. But during that time, she lost contact with Diana. And now they're like this...
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Little Witch Academia.

Chapter 2. Shadows

When she opens her eyes, she still expects to find herself somewhere else, somewhere different than from where she fell asleep last night.

Oftentimes, when she wakes, she imagines she isn't alone. She imagines Diana is beside her.

But it only takes a few seconds for reality to settle in, and for Akko to remember she is alone.

A whimper tumbles from her lips as she pushes herself up from the pillow. Locks of messy chestnut-brown hair spill over her shoulders.

This is the only time she sees her actual self. Only for a few moments every morning.

As soon as she's able to, Akko reaches for her wand and casts her usual spell – a spell of deception.

Her brown hair takes on a reddish hue, and her eyes become dark blue. More minor changes are made to the shapes of her cheeks, trimming away a bit of the childish plumpness there to take on a more mature appearance. Her marital ring hides itself against her skin, becoming invisible.

She deliberately disguises herself to hide from her own wife. From the person she loves and cares for most in the world.

She knows it's gone too far, this little cowardice game of hers. She's kept herself away from Diana for too long. Even one day was too long, but _three years_...

Akko still can't fathom how she's let it get this bad. But every time she'd considered or even attempted to reveal her identity to Diana, a horrible panic had consumed her mind.

The paranoia always strikes her in the most awful of ways, telling her Diana will reject her if she reveals herself after all this time.

 _It's too late..._ Akko's mind tells her heart. _She'll never want me back..._

And yet, every day as she goes about Luna Nova in her disguise, she hears from the students and other professors just how deeply and sorrowfully Diana misses her, and longs for her return.

Akko has done her best to avoid being alone with Diana over these years, but the few times when she finds herself with the headmistress, it feels like her internal organs all shut down. She feels horribly ill, gripped by nausea and fear, so much so that she's never been able to go through with telling Diana the truth.

_It's too late... I've waited so long... She'll never accept me back... It's better if I just stay like this..._

Her mind speaks, and it tells her these things.

But Akko's heart knows better.

It knows Diana wants her back more than anything.

All her life, she's been a firm believer in her heart over her mind.

Until now.

Now, her mind has an unshakable grip on her, and it won't always allow her to act as she wishes.

Especially around Diana. In fact, _only_ around her.

The other aspects of Akko's life are more or less normal, and perhaps even enjoyable at times.

But whenever she catches a glimpse of that soft white hair in the hallways, or hears that familiar voice in the lecture halls, the paranoia takes hold, sinks in its claws, and doesn't let go until it's frightened Akko away.

 _After all..._ it reminds her. _What happened to her... it's all my fault..._

Though Akko knows Diana has never once placed blame on her for her dire injuries, she can't help but take the weight of that blame upon herself.

_I could've been faster... I could've seen the attacks coming... I could've saved her... But I didn't... I couldn't..._

The same process commences each morning, and now is no different. Akko battles against her own mind, gritting her teeth as a soft snarl works its way out.

"No... she doesn't blame me... And she told me I shouldn't blame myself..."

When had it gotten this bad? That she'd been apart from Diana long enough to stop taking her advice?

She isn't sure.

But every day, she gets farther and farther away from Diana, even if she's physically right next door.

The rift between them is already gaping, and it only becomes more and more difficult to close it.

But Akko is too terrified. She can't help it.

No matter how badly she wants to tell Diana the truth, her heart is no longer strong enough to best her mind's dreadful thoughts.

So each day, she helplessly disguises herself and goes about her tasks under the alias Ms. Ophiuchus, the Mystic Biology Professor.

Each day, she loses another part of what makes her Atsuko Kagari.

In denying herself the relief of telling Diana the truth, she denies herself Diana's love, and in turn denies her own identity.

_Before very much longer 'Atsuko Kagari' will be dead..._

And she knows this much isn't only in her head.

She's glimpsed the pitiful glow of Diana's ring before, how dull and pale it's become with time.

Because Akko is losing herself, as Diana had lost her.

And yet, her own ring is losing its shine just as quickly.

Presently, she steels herself before glancing down at it. As expected, it's even duller than it had been yesterday morning. It's a barely noticeable difference, but she knows it all the same.

Akko knows she is losing her own sense of identity, and that is why Diana's ring loses its glow.

But Akko's is different. It weakens because Diana's life force is dwindling.

She _knows_ this. She's known this all along.

She's heard it from her colleagues, especially the classmates who had once sat in lectures beside herself and Diana.

That this separation – that being apart from Akko – is all but killing her. And every day, her condition worsens, bit by bit.

Akko can't even reveal herself to save Diana's life.

Her fears far outweigh her senses.

There are times she thinks it could be so _simple_ to go up to Diana and remove the spell on her appearance. But no matter what kind of mindset she's in, the fear always takes control immediately.

It _should_ be such an easy thing to do.

But she can't do it.

She hasn't been able to all this time.

And she's beginning to think she never will.

Every morning, she tells herself today will be the day.

But then the fear creeps back in.

_No... she'll reject me... she'll never forgive me... she'll hate me..._

All of these thoughts pile up, seeming to crush her shoulders beneath their weight, shoving her down until she can hardly breathe-

It always wins.

And it always ends with the same thought.

_M-Maybe I'll tell her tomorrow..._

She's been telling herself the same thing for three years.

* * *

It always takes Akko a while to prepare herself in the mornings, not so much in a physical sense, but a mental one.

It takes her only a few seconds to disguise herself, and only a few minutes to freshen up and dress.

But the mental battle can sometimes last for hours.

She's had to cancel her classes before because of it, faking a lesser kind of sickness so as not to worry her students.

Today, it only takes what she considers to be a normal amount of time, a little over an hour. She cleans herself up, puts on her robes, then ties her hair into a few messy braids. She then takes all her necessary supplies and begins to head out the door, bound for her classroom.

The hallways are alive with the girls' lively chatter, sounds that always put Akko's mind at ease, just a little.

Only one sound can do it better.

She hears Diana's voice even when she's too far away to understand what she's saying. Even the indistinct murmur of tone is something she recognizes right away if it is Diana's.

It's coming from a nearby classroom, one Akko must pass in order to get to her own.

It isn't often she encounters Diana so early on in the day. Most of the time, she'll glimpse her at common hour, or in the evenings.

But when Diana isn't cooped up in her office dealing with business and paperwork, she's spreading her presence across campus, visiting classrooms and observing flying lessons, often giving demonstrations of her own impeccable skills.

Even despite the fact that she doesn't have Akko beside her, Diana is doing an exceptional job as headmistress.

 _See?_ Akko tells herself. _She doesn't need me anyway..._

She shakes her head vigorously, then continues forward. She nears the classroom – one shared by Hannah and Barbara – to the sound of Diana's voice. The doors are open a crack, and Akko pauses just outside to listen.

"The luna alphabet was once only able to be read by a scarce remaining number of witches. However, due to the unlocking of the Grand Triskelion nearly five years ago, it has been revived along with a great deal of magic and knowledge that was previously suppressed by the great seal. Now, we teach the students of Luna Nova the ancient alphabet with pride."

Akko can only listen for now. She listens to the distinguished, professional manner in which Diana speaks, just as she always had. Her tone is strong and supported, but Akko can tell there is no smile on her lips.

There had only been a few rare times when Akko had heard her lose her formal way of speaking, when she'd heard her voice waver and crack with emotion. And only a few years' worth of time when she'd smiled freely.

All times Akko had been with her.

But she's never heard Diana's voice sound that way since Akko had left her. She hasn't even seen Diana smile once in three years. Not genuinely, anyway.

Akko is an expert at determining Diana's fake smiles from her real ones, after all.

A small applause goes up in the lecture hall, and Akko peers in to glimpse Diana dipping her head.

"Now, all of you ladies must apply yourselves to the best of your abilities. And should you feel you are struggling with the materials, do not hesitate to seek advice and assistance from your professors." She nods to Hannah and Barbara, standing together – as always – at the side of the room. "As you know, they are very dear friends of mine..."

Akko can't stay to listen to anymore. Not just because her own class is about to start, but also too because it pains her to linger.

She's heard and seen Diana many times over the past three years of course.

But she's never once touched her. And she's never looked her in the eyes.

Not even when she'd come to Luna Nova to apply for a position as a professor.

She'd needed to stand in front of Diana disguised and demonstrate her extensive skills and knowledge of magic, with her voice disguised and her mannerisms altered. She'd been certain not to use any notable spells that she'd often used as a student, ones Diana might have been able to connect her to.

But even as Diana had gladly offered her a position at Luna Nova, and Akko had thanked her gratefully, she hadn't looked her in the eye.

She still can't. Some part of her fears she'll never be able to again.

_She doesn't need me anymore..._

With an ache in her chest to combat the one in her head, Akko turns away and limps toward her classroom.

* * *

By suppertime, she's recovered most of her energy.

Seeing and interacting with her students always helps her forget about her thoughts for a while and focus on better things.

She loves teaching magic, and her classes are always revered as some of the most enjoyable in terms of materials and professor. Her classes are fun, though not unprofessionally so. But they are the kinds of classes where everyone smiles, laughs, and breathes easily, without fear of judgement by peers or proctor.

Akko picks up her food for supper and makes her way around the tables, greeting her students along the way. She often sits with them, but sometimes she heads to the professors' table instead.

Diana has sat with them a few times before, but for the past year or so, she's never eaten in public.

Akko heads for the teachers' table now, as she sees Hannah and Barbara have arrived. Akko makes sure to always sit by the two of them, because they haven't changed a bit in the sense that they are almost always talking about Diana. It's the best way for her to obtain information about her wife without raising suspicion or risking herself.

Akko greets the other young women there and takes a seat beside Barbara, who is, of course, beside Hannah. The two of them look up and greet her by her fake name of course, not knowing any better. But their voices lack any genuine happiness.

"Oh, hello Professor Ophiuchus."

"It's nice to see you."

"Hi," Akko says, her smile already fading. "Is... something the matter...?"

She makes sure to take her seat quickly, because some part of her already knows what their answer will be, and she fears she won't be able to stay on her feet to hear it.

Hannah and Barbara glance at one another uncertainly, then release a simultaneous sigh.

"It's Diana..."

Akko's stomach clenches and flips. She can feel the blood pumping through her veins, but she bites her lip to prevent herself from blurting out.

"What... What do you mean? Is she all right...?"

Hannah and Barbara look to her, then to one another.

"We..." Hannah shakes her head. "We really aren't sure anymore..."

"It's all too much for her," Barbara whimpers. "We should've known better-"

"What?" Akko says tensely. "What happened?"

Barbara has begun to cry softly, so Hannah pulls her wife into her arms and takes over speaking from here.

"She was visiting our class this morning. And she was fine, up until the very end..."

Akko's blue eyes are wide with terror. Her appetite has vanished completely, and her mind and heart are racing.

"What...?" she chokes. "What happened...?"

Hannah closes her eyes as tears begin to drip down. She rests her chin on Barbara's head, keeping her voice low.

"Our students requested she demonstrate a spell. And she tried. She _tried_... but..." She tapers off, leaving Akko petrified.

"Was... Was she injured...? Did the spell go wrong?" Akko's about to bolt from her seat and find Diana wherever she is. But she needs to hear everything first.

It is Barbara who speaks next, her voice broken by sobs.

"N-No... the spell didn't go wrong... It didn't even _work_..."

"...Eh?" Akko shakes her head, unsure of what she's just heard. "Wh... What do you mean it... didn't work...? Th-The headmistress' magic is the strongest in Luna Nova. Or s-so I've always been told..."

The pair shake their heads again.

"Maybe that's how it once was... when Akko was with her..."

"But now... Diana's magic... it's dying..."

Akko feels her jaw falling open, disbelief mixing with the fear.

"That... That's impossible. The Sorcerer's Stone is-"

"It has nothing to do with the Stone," Hannah explains. "Barbara and I... we've known Diana since childhood. And this has happened to her before. Right after her parents passed away, Diana completely lost the ability to use magic."

"It was a result of her pain," Barbara murmurs. "She suffered from such intense emotional distress that it had an affect on her magic abilities. It nearly depleted them at the time... Sh-She managed to get them back by working hard, b-but now..."

"She's lost her parents, and now her wife..." Hannah explains. "This time, the loss was too great for her to bear. It's too much for her. Her heart was already weakened from the start. Because of that Sorcerer and because of Croix-"

"-But even before all of that, it was in her blood. Everyone had always feared a heart condition was hereditary in her family, because that's how she'd lost her parents."

"And now she's been wounded so many times, within an inch of her life," Hannah goes on. "She's lost Akko, and now she's losing her magic again. At this rate..."

"We could lose Diana, too..."

Both of them break down in each others' arms, unable to speak any more.

They leave Akko numb. Entirely numb with terror.

The purest form of terror she's ever experienced before.

She'd seen Diana get stabbed through the heart not once, but _twice_.

But the terror she feels now dominates even the terror she'd felt then.

She remembers hearing the same things about Diana's childhood and parents many years ago, from Andrew on the night Diana attempted to become the Cavendish family head. She'd barely been able to believe Diana had once lost her ability to use magic.

But to think she's losing it again. A second time...

 _And it's... because of me... Because I left her... Because... my leaving caused her_ so _much pain... enough to be equivalent to losing her own parents..._

She'd known Diana's heart was weak and damaged due to the life-threatening injuries she's sustained in the past. But Akko had never know about her parents passing away due to heart complications.

_If... If it's hereditary... Diana was already at great risk just from that... So for her to have been hurt so badly like she was... and twice..._

It's a miracle she's still _alive_.

But Akko's absence has hurt her so horribly, so tremendously, that her distress is now taking its toll on Diana in the form of her magic weakening.

"N-No..." Her voice slips out, her eyes staring blankly at the table in front of her. "That... Th-That..."

Of course, Hannah and Barbara see her as a different person, as someone who had never known Diana. They tell her things only they could have known all these years, being as close to her as they are.

"It's been manifesting itself slowly over the past few years," Hannah says. "Diana's magic has been weakening gradually, so it's been hardly noticeable to anyone other than her closest friends."

"But recently... her condition's taken a rapid decline," Barbara whimpers. "No one knows why. The doctors can't figure it out... but they... they don't know how to stop it... They can't help her anymore..."

"Even though she's... descendant from a family of healers... from Lady Beatrix herself... Diana can't heal her own heart..."

Each of their words sinks into Akko's mind link a stone into an ocean. It all sinks in so it _sticks_. So Akko can tell this isn't a daydream.

What she's heard – what she's _hearing_ – is real. All too real.

_Diana is losing her magic. Her condition is weakening more and more every day..._

Of course, only Diana's closest friends would know about these things. Only Hannah, Barbara, and her doctors. Akko is another person to them. She has no right to have heard about Diana's personal life all these years.

But for her to think... to _know_ Diana has been suffering like this... all this time... because of _her_...

_I'd... I'd always known it was hurting her... b-but I never thought..._

" _It's killing her..._ "

Akko's voice isn't even her own as it falls from her lips. She hadn't meant to say it aloud, but hearing the truth sends a sickening shudder up her spine. Both Hannah and Barbara sob, but they don't deny the statement.

"We've done... everything we can..." Hannah whispers.

"It's only a matter of time now..." Barbara rasps. "The doctors can't help her anymore..."

" _We_ can't help her anymore..."

Their final thought, they give in unison.

"Only Akko can..."

The words shake Akko through to her very core.

It almost feels prophetic in a way. She hasn't felt this way in over five years, not since she'd revived the Seven Words.

It plants a seed of conviction inside of her. The roots coil in and find purchase in the center of her soul, locking down on her.

 _Only Akko... only_ I _can help Diana..._

The words resonate from her heart, making her remember how it's beating without Diana's, how Diana's is beating without hers.

 _I... I_ have _to do it... I have to tell her the truth... before it's too late..._

Akko pushes herself up from her seat, leaving her food untouched. She wishes she could thank Hannah and Barbara for what they've told her. She wishes she could tell them everything will be all right.

_But what if it won't be...? What if I'm already too late? What if Diana can't be saved...? What if... she's already too far gone...?_

Akko nearly stumbles when she starts moving, setting a brisk pace for the exit. It's as close as she can get to running.

As she passes by the tables of girls, she can pick up on their worried voices.

"The Headmistress was in our class this morning-"

"She couldn't cast the spell..."

"What? Headmistress Cavendish?"

"Could it be because of her old injuries?"

Akko knows it won't be long before the entire school knows of Diana's loosening grip on her magics.

_I have to do something... before... b-before..._

She rushes into the hallway, and a wave of nausea slams over her as though she's just ran herself into a solid wall. Akko staggers and slumps against the nearest doorframe. Had she eaten anything at suppertime, she knows she'd be seeing it again right now.

The blood is pounding in her veins, beating in her skull and her chest. The fear surges up, the paranoia bursts through.

 _I can't... she won't want to see me... not after all this time... I left her._ I'm _the one who made her so sick. It's all my fault..._

The thoughts form something akin to a barrier in her mind, one that seems to project in the hallway in front of her. It forces her back a step, against her will. Every time she tries to advance, another thought pushes her back.

_I did this to her. I don't deserve to see her again. I don't deserve her..._

The voice in her head drags her back, pulls her away from the path she wants to take.

_It's my fault... I did this to her..._

But then-

Then her voice comes out.

Not her disguised voice. Her _real_ one.

"Who?"

She snarls into the silence.

For the past three years, the voice in her head has always said those things.

_She. Her._

But not once has it ever said her name.

Only _Akko_ has done that.

She can feel it as the voice in her head falters, just for a second.

_I know who. Of course I know her. She's my wife._

"Who?!" Akko barks again. She lifts her boot and takes a loud, defiant step forward, past that intangible barrier. "You coward... you can't even say her name..."

_I don't have to. I know her name._

"Then _say it._ "

_My wife... the love of my life..._

But that voice can't say her name.

 _Only_ I _can._

" _Diana!_ "

With a cry of her name, Akko breaks through.

She pushes past the fears in her mind and runs.

The paranoia... those fears...

Those fears are _nothing_ compared to the fear she feels for Diana.

Akko runs.

Racing through the hallways she's known for nearly a decade, since she'd been a student here herself.

She knows the way to the Headmistress' office. She'd been there a million times as a student.

She runs.

 _Runs_.

Until-

"Oof!"

"Kyaa!"

It's not a wall she runs into, but she runs into it hard enough that it feels that way. But before Akko can fall back from the force of the impact, the other person rights herself and grabs her by the wrist to keep them both on their feet. A startled, but familiar voice calls for her.

"Ak- I-I mean Professor Ophiuchus!"

Chariot's voice is one of the few that have never left Luna Nova's hallways for as long as Akko has been here. She's elected to keep her natural red hair color now, because Akko had learned years ago who she truly was.

And in turn, Chariot is the only person in Luna Nova who knows who _she_ is.

She holds tightly to Akko's wrist until the risk of either of them falling has passed, though her voice remains distressed.

"What is going on? Are you all right?"

Chariot dusts off Akko's shoulders, her red eyes wide and concerned. Akko catches her breath only for a second before she blurts out.

"Professor! I... I have to... D-Diana..."

And in seconds, her voice is broken into nothing more than tearful rasps. Her knees begin to buckle, and it's all Chariot can do to pull her into a quick embrace. She lets out a long, regretful sigh.

"So you've heard about what happened... I was about to come find you to let you know if you didn't already. I'm so sorry, Akko..."

She keeps her former student close, whispering her real name. She's the only one who's ever said it these past three years fully knowing who she is.

Akko grabs onto her robes and clings there like a frightened child.

"It's... it's all my fault..."

"Of course it isn't."

Chariot's always told her this much. She's the only person Akko could confide in during her years of hiding. She's done her utmost best to help her through her ailments.

But there's only so much other people can do. Akko's ability to heal and forgive herself lies _within_ herself.

But that doesn't mean Chariot doesn't do everything within her power to help.

She can tell Akko needs her now, for guidance and support in this very serious matter.

Akko sobs heavily into her shoulder, her back raked by violent tremors.

"P-Professor... _Chariot_... I... I-I have to tell Diana the truth... I-I have to..."

Chariot has been expecting this response. She's always known that Akko would reveal herself eventually, in due time.

But Chariot's known her for many years, and she'd been fully aware that this terrible news of Diana's declining health would be the final push Akko needs.

Even so... Chariot coaxes the young woman back a pace, so she may meet her eyes.

"Akko... are you sure?"

And Akko doesn't even need to give a verbal reply.

She just gives her _that_ look.

That determined, serious, empowering look Chariot knows all too well.

The older witch dips her head.

"Very well."

"Now," Akko grunts. "I h-have to do it now- b-before-"

"Akko, please..." Chariot keeps a firm hold on her wrist. "Diana is in a very precarious state. Her health is _extremely_ poor. I fear she won't be able to handle seeing you again after all this time. Her heart is far too weak. You mustn't reveal yourself carelessly. If at all possible... you mustn't startle her. Do you understand? Just one small fright could send her into a terrible panic."

Akko flinches visibly. She'd seen that happen many times in the past, back when they'd been younger.

After the sorcerer had attacked Diana, her injured heart would often spiral into painful frenzies, sometimes for no reason at all.

But as Diana is now, after missing Akko for three years, and with her magics fading...

Something as major as finally seeing Akko again could have a highly intense affect on her straining heart.

Akko is grateful Chariot has held her back to warn her about this. She draws in a deep, deep breath, then releases it.

"Thank you, Professor. For helping me clear my head... I needed that."

Chariot dips her head.

"Of course. Akko, I wish you... the _very_ best of luck. For Diana's sake, and for your own, please see this through. You are her only hope."

Akko wipes her free hand over her eyes.

"Yes... I know that now. It's taken me... this long, b-but I... I understand. I'm going to do it, Professor. No matter what I'll do it. Tonight."

Her blue eyes are clear. There is no haze in them, no uncertainty. No fear.

Not the kind invited by her mind, anyway. Her fear now is _for_ Diana, not _of_ her.

Only now does Chariot release her wrist.

"Go, Akko. It is time."

She nods.

And then, Akko turns her back to her most beloved professor, and runs.


	3. A Gentle Glow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neon has drawn an amazing comic for scenes in this chapter. I will link the artwork at the end as not to spoil things yet.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Little Witch Academia.

Chapter 3. A Gentle Glow

Unlike the turmoil within her chest, Diana's office is calm and quiet.

At the very least, the external environment keeps her as collected as she can possibly be in the face of all that's happening.

Up until now, it's been a gradual recession, a steady ebbing of her magics. Sometimes, through rigorous focus and practice, she'd been able to regain a bit of control, a bit of strength.

But now, she's lost whatever hold she'd once had.

Now, her magics are leaking like blood from an open wound, freely slipping farther and farther away from her grasp with every second that goes by. She doesn't have the strength left to bring it back, nor can she keep ahold of what little she has left.

_Left..._

What _does_ she have left...?

She's lost her mother, she's lost Akko, and now she's losing her magic as well.

All the most precious things in the world to her are gone.

What does she have _left_...?

Diana stares blankly down at the papers in front of her. Her desk has always been neat and organized, but now it all sits in a disarray.

She can't concentrate. She can't read. Her vision keeps lapsing, shifting in and out of focus. The thudding in her chest has been anguishing her all day, since she'd failed to complete the spell in her demonstration.

Normally, if her heart acted up, the pain would subside after a few moments. But not anymore.

Her magics had forms a natural protection around her body, almost like a second skin. It had provided a barrier of sorts, constantly blocking out the pain, without requiring any effort or thought on Diana's part.

But now, with the decrease of her magic's presence, her pain increases.

All day it's been getting worse and worse. But now, it's borderline unbearable.

The feather pen in her hand makes jagged lines over the paper she's been trying to read for the past hour. Her hand trembles uncontrollably, tremors that travel up her arm until she can no longer grip the pen. It clatters quietly onto the desk, dripping ink.

All this time, Diana's been trying to keep to herself, to deal with her pain alone. But she knows she can't do this alone anymore. She needs help.

She'd sent her concerned colleagues away before, but now she regrets that decision in the worst of ways.

Her heart is hammering, sending pulses of agony throughout her body, down to the tips of her toenails. Every vein feels as though it's about to burst, the blood pumping with every rapid beat of her heart, pushing up against her skin.

Diana clutches her chest with both hands, full-force, much like she had this morning. Only now her intentions are very different.

There's a heat spreading beneath her skin, with her heart at the epicenter. It's even going so far as to rise up behind her eyes...

Just this once... Diana wishes her body would let her cry.

_Just one more time..._

Her tears, her honesty...

They are things Akko had given her.

She wants them back. She wants _her_ back...

There's a pounding, but this time it isn't just in her chest. She recognizes the pattern of a knock on the other side of her door.

And despite her condition, Diana steels herself. She won't allow anyone to see her like this, not until she absolutely can't help it any longer.

She sucks in a sharp breath, closes her eyes, then reopens them, forcing them to focus. She lets out the breath and it shakes. She tries again and again, until she's certain her voice will be steady.

"Yes...?"

If it's a matter that can be dealt with through words alone, without the necessity of opening that door, she'd prefer to handle it that way.

She waits for a response, taking those few seconds to gain control of her breathing as best she can. The voice from the other side is soft but firm.

"Headmistress? It's Professor Ophiuchus. May I come in?"

For a second, Diana can't remember who this person is. Her thoughts are as jumbled as the papers on her desk. She can't remember anything other than the pain assaulting her chest.

_Ophiuchus..._

One of the younger professors. She'd applied a few years ago. She has unique red hair and stunning blue eyes. She is very popular with the students. Diana remembers being impressed by her skills upon her application exam and performance...

Now that Diana has her thoughts in order of who she is dealing with, she clears her throat.

"Ms. Ophiuchus... You have my sincerest apologies... but do you think this matter could possibly wait until tomorrow...?"

Diana doesn't want anyone seeing her this way. She's in far too much pain to think properly. There's no way she can maintain the professional image required of her position like this.

There is silence, and she waits.

Then-

"I'm sorry, Headmistress Cavendish. But it is _highly_ urgent. It can't wait another second."

Diana is taken aback by the response. She isn't aware of any dire situation on campus. Unless an emergency has just occurred...

"Very well," she calls a little breathlessly. "Please come in."

Diana gathers every last shred of strength in her body and uses it to stand, pushing herself up from her desk.

The door is pushed open, but just as Professor Ophiuchus enters, Diana stumbles. Her elbow knocks into the lamp on her desk, and it clatters to the floor. The sprite inside shrieks in terror and extinguishes its light.

Gasping, Diana pushes herself back up, leaning heavily against her desk. The other witch quickly closes the door behind herself and hurries inside.

"D- H-Headmistress! Are you all right?" Her voice rises in panic, and she rushes forward. But Ophiuchus stops herself before she reaches Diana, as though some unseen force field is keeping her at a distance.

Diana can see the fear in the young woman's eyes.

But it's not just fear. There is... a lot more than that.

But Diana can't focus enough to name those emotions.

She braces one hand on her desk and the other against her chest, barely able to keep her eyes open.

"I... I apologize... for showing you such an unbecoming side of myself... I ask you to... please keep this in your confidence..."

Professor Ophiuchus stares back at her with wide, dismayed eyes.

If Diana recalls correctly, this is... the first time she's ever made proper eye contact with her. Or rather, the first time _Ophiuchus_ has ever made proper eye contact with Diana. She's always tended to avoid looking her in the eye. Diana has often feared she'd intimidated her somehow.

But now, for the first time since her employment, their eyes meet.

Diana knows it's unfair of her to ask Ophiuchus to stay quiet about this. But Diana believes she'll be better by morning.

She believes... even if she _knows_ it isn't true.

Perhaps that knowledge is clear in her eyes, because Ophiuchus looks back at her in terror.

Deep-rooted terror.

Terror that... that shouldn't be _quite_ this consuming to someone like her, to someone who has only known Diana professionally, and for a short amount of time...

"H-Headmistress..."

Even her voice sounds so distraught – far too distraught for someone who's only been here a few years.

Her distress, her fear, her uncertainty...

It's all so deep, so heavy.

Diana can tell, because in suppressing her own emotions, she's become an expert at interpreting others'.

Nonetheless, Diana has a duty to hear her out, and Ophiuchus has a right to be heard.

"I will be fine," she lies. "Now then... if there is an urgent matter at hand... please inform me immediately." She ignores the pain as best she can and narrows her eyes, giving off the most stern expression she can muster.

In the darkness of the room, Ophiuchus is silent for a moment.

Diana hates sharing this silence with a stranger. Especially when she's in this pitiful condition.

No one else has ever seen her this weak, this vulnerable. Only Akko. So allowing someone else to see her this way now feels like the ultimate betrayal to her wife.

Diana straightens her back as much as she can and waits for an answer.

Ophiuchus maintains her distance of just a few feet. She even takes a step back.

For a second, Diana is under the impression she will leave.

But she stays, though she drops her gaze to the floor, as though she feels ashamed for seeing her headmistress like this.

"Headmistress..." she mumbles. "I... There's something I have to discuss with you. It's something I... I've been wanting to talk to you about... for a while now..."

Diana swallows in an effort to stay focused, knowing the other witch deserves her full attention.

"Then please... there is no need to hold back," she murmurs. "How... how long have you been wanting to discuss it with me?"

Professor Ophiuchus looks up again, just enough to meet her eyes.

"For about... three years..."

And there's... something about the way she says it.

Not only the length of time she mentions, but...

But the _way_ she says it...

Her _voice_.

Her voice _changes_.

It loses its calm, mature, reserved undertones and rises a few pitches.

Those words.

Diana's heard them said many times before, from many different people, in many different voices.

But _this_...

This is... _familiar_...

_This voice..._

Diana takes a small step back, clutching more tightly to her chest. Her heart throbs harder beneath her palm. Her mind is playing tricks on her. The pain is going to her head...

"Headmistress..."

That voice again.

_That voice._

Diana raises her head, her eyes scanning the witch before her. Even in the darkness, she can see the tips of her red hair now. They are changing color, the brighter, more noticeable color melting away, fading into a softer, more earthen brown.

Professor Ophiuchus lifts a hand to her head, and touches the hat resting there. Her fingers curl. Slowly, she removes it.

The hat passes over her face.

And the next thing Diana knows, 'Professor Ophiuchus' is gone.

Her cheeks are a little bit fuller.

Her nose is a little bit smaller.

Her red hair has turned brown.

Her blue eyes have turned red.

And her _voice_.

"I've missed you... _so much_..."

She sobs, her words choking and rasping in a familiar way. She has a certain way of saying certain words, a certain way of putting certain sounds together that no one else has. An unmistakable voice.

"Headmistress Cavendish..."

Diana watches as she drops her hat, and the last bit of magic is lifted from her cloaking spell.

On her left hand, a ring is revealed. A ring that glows in the darkness.

Diana can't move.

She can't even blink.

She can't even breathe.

All she can do is stare at _that face_.

And listen to _that voice._

" _Diana..._ "

Her heart stops. Just stops.

And with it, the pain stops too, just for a split second.

Just long enough for her to-

"Ah..."

Diana shakes her head, feeling wetness on her face. On her cheeks. She knows it isn't sweat from her ailments.

No. These are...

These are the things her _wife_ had given her.

The things that reveal her honest feelings.

The things she's been missing for three years.

The tears are streaming down as quickly as they form, pouring down, dripping off her chin.

All of them. Every tear she's never shed these past three years. They all surge up and spill over, all at once.

"A-Ah-"

Suddenly, Diana is numb.

She can't feel anything, not even the pain.

Her legs buckle, and her grip on her desk fails.

She collapses hard on her knees, using her last ounce of strength on her voice.

" _Ak...ko_..."

How long has it been?

Since she's said her name?

Since she's heard her voice?

Since she'd cried these tears?

Past the blurring of her vision, she can see a bright glow emitting from her left ring finger. It's bright enough to light up the entire room.

But then, the pain returns.

In an instant, it slams over Diana, hitting her like a direct blow. _Burning_ , like poison in her blood, like thorns in her heart.

Tearing. Cutting.

She's only vaguely aware of Akko's presence as she drops down beside her.

But Akko's still too afraid to touch her. Diana sees that fear in her eyes. But now she recognizes the other emotions as well.

The uncertainty. The longing. The love.

The culmination of all the things she's been hiding all these years.

It's all so much.

 _Too_ much...

Diana's heart seizes in her chest. It overwhelms her.

She only glimpses Akko one last time before her vision goes black, one last murmur of her name on her lips.

" _Ah...kko-_ "

" _Diana!_ "

Akko lunges forward as her wife slumps, catching her just before her head can collide with the floor.

She hasn't touched her in three years.

_Three years._

Her clothes feel too big on her, her skin is so much paler.

"Diana! Diana!"

Desperately, Akko checks her own ring. There's almost no light coming from it any longer.

"No!"

_It's my fault... It was too much for her... I did this to her-_

_"NO!"_

Akko refuses to give in to those dark thoughts. It isn't her fault. Or even if it is, she can't dwell on that now.

Hannah and Barbara were right. She's the only one who can help Diana now.

And she's _here_ now.

"I'm here now..." she whispers. "I'm here, Diana..."

Akko pulls her wife into her lap, cradling her head with one hand. She presses the other over Diana's frantic heartbeat.

It's absolutely out of control.

Akko's seen her through dozens of panic and heart attacks before, from minor incidents to life-threatening ones.

But this is the _worst_.

Diana's magics have all but left her, exposing her weakened heart.

"No... no..."

Akko brushes her palm across Diana's forehead, and for the first time in three years, kisses her there.

"No... I won't lose you... _not again_..."

The palpitations beneath her palm throb hard enough for Akko to feel them throughout her own body. She holds Diana close, then reaches one hand for her wand. She chokes out a spell, and pours all of her energy into it.

_"Yurialilla Amorane!"_

The magic manifests itself in swirls of pink and gold and purple, wrapping itself around Diana's body in swirls of light. It settles over her all at once, then vanishes.

Akko's never cast this spell before. But she waits, counting the rapid beats of Diana's heart. She can still discern her arrhythmia, the irregularity of the extra pulse.

"Please... _please_..."

She closes her eyes, forcing out more tears, which drip down onto Diana's neck.

She waits. Diana's heart is about to give out-

And then it slows.

Beat by beat, second by second, it slows down.

Akko drops her head onto Diana's chest to listen.

She waits.

Waits.

Waits...

Until Diana's pulse is back to normal.

Its special, jumpy rhythm.

A heartbeat that is Diana's, and Diana's alone.

"Diana... Diana..."

She's still breathing. Akko can hear it, feel it.

Inhaling, she lifts her face to seek Diana's.

She'd been crying so hard, so much.

_She hasn't cried all this time..._

Somehow, Akko can tell as much.

For three years, Diana hasn't shed a tear.

For three years, her magics have been fading, and her heart has been weakening.

For three years, she hasn't slept, eaten, or smiled properly.

"I'm sorry... _I'm so sorry_..."

Akko cups Diana's face in her palm, touching the softness of her hair.

"It's all my fault... b-but I'm here now... I'm _here_ , Diana..."

The ring on her finger regains its glow, little by little. Just to be certain, Akko keeps a hand over Diana's heart, to ensure it's stable, to ensure she's still breathing.

She doesn't know how long she stays with her like that. Simply holding her.

Remembering the softness of her skin, the silken texture of her hair, the jumpy rhythm of her heart.

Remembering all they've been through, from the first time they'd introduced themselves to one another, to their first broom race, to the time they'd unseal the Grand Triskelion together...

To the first time they'd kissed one another.

Graduation.

Then their marriage ceremony...

A lifetime of experiences all within the course of a few years.

_And how much did I waste in keeping away from her for three years? How much did we lose...?_

She hates to think about it. But it can't be changed now.

What _can_ be changed is their future together.

_Because I'm here now. And I'm never leaving you again... Diana..._

Akko leans over her, dipping her face a few inches, brushing her nose lightly against hers.

She can only imagine how much pain Diana has been put through all this time, and especially tonight.

Akko knows it was hard, excruciating.

So she is just the opposite - she is gentle, soft, tender.

"Diana..."

She holds her.

She cries.

She chants her name.

For hours.

Until there's movement in her arms.

Barely anything, but movement all the same.

Diana stirs, her chest rising beneath Akko's hand as she draws in a deep breath. Her eyelids flutter, struggling. A few strands of hair dangle across them, and Akko gently brushes them aside.

And suddenly, she's scared again.

Scared Diana might hate her, reject her, blame her for all of this. Her mind tells her to disguise herself once more, to tell Diana she'd only been dreaming.

 _No. I can't give her this hope only to take it away again. This is Diana's_ life _that's on the line._

So Akko banishes all thoughts of retreat from her mind. She swallows, but keeps her eyes trained on Diana's.

Slowly, tiredly, her lashes lift. The blue beneath them is hazy and unfocused.

Akko almost calls for her, but she stops herself, wanting Diana to adjust on her own. She waits, and those seconds feel like hours.

At last, Diana's eyes flicker up and settle into focus.

And Akko sees the disbelief, the denial. It's in her eyes as clearly as it's in her voice.

"Ah... Akko..."

It's not a question of who she sees. It's a rasp of her name, a plea to remember, a prayer for it to be _real_.

Diana doesn't believe it's real yet. All this time she's believed, but now that it's right in front of her, she's forgotten how to.

_That's okay. Because I'll help her remember._

Akko tries to smile, but her tears come spilling down anew, making her expression wobble. She strokes her fingers through Diana's bangs, dipping her head in a nod.

"Yeah... it's... it's me, Diana..."

Diana blinks once, then twice, still trying to process it all.

"Y-You... I... I don't..." She exhales, and Akko feels it shake. "I don't... I do not believe it... I-I-" The tears well up and spill down back toward her temples, disappearing into her hairline. "Akko... A-Akko-"

"Shh..." Akko leans down once more, gently bumping her nose against Diana's. "It's okay... It's real... I promise, Diana..." She moves closer, nuzzling against her cheek. "I'm here, Diana... I'm home... _I'm finally home..._ "

A small, broken wail tumbles from Diana's lips. Her chest jolts with a loud sob, one she can't even hope to suppress.

"Akko... Akko..."

The tears are so heavy she can't keep her eyes open.

She doesn't want to close them. She's scared Akko won't be there when she opens them again.

So as Diana's eyes inevitably fall shut, her hands find purchase on Akko's robes, her nails digging in defiantly, refusing to let her go.

Not again.

 _Never_ again.

Carefully, Akko lifts Diana up closer, pulling her into a loose, partial embrace.

"Easy..." she murmurs. "D-Don't cry, Diana..."

She doesn't want her to strain herself anymore than she already has. She can feel Diana's heart starting to pound again, her breathing becoming labored once more.

Diana snaps her eyes back open, sending a stern glare up at her past the tears.

"How can you p-possibly expect me... n-not to- a-after all this time, y-you were... you were..."

"I know..." Akko cradles the back of her head, her knee and other arm supporting Diana's shoulders and back. "I-I know, a-and I'm... I'm so sorry Diana... I... I don't know why, b-but I just... I just..."

"Akko-"

The brunette sniffles.

"Y-Yeah...?"

Diana reaches one hand up to her wife's face.

And ever so softly - for the first time in three long, agonizing years - she touches her.

Diana cups her cheek, pressing her palm against her soft, smooth skin.

"Stop talking."

She pulls Akko down to her as best she can. Akko willingly closes her mouth and follows her lead.

Diana guides her to her lips, and Akko sobs. Her voice cracks and whimpers as her lips bump lightly against her wife's.

She's dreamt of this. So many, many times. She knows Diana must have, too.

They've dreamt of this moment, even when they weren't asleep.

They've been dreaming of this moment for the past three years.

Diana's shaking in her arms, and Akko makes sure not to kiss her too hard, not to hinder her breath.

Akko can feel something welling up in her stomach, through her chest. It comes out as another open-mouthed sob, one with fractions of her voice mixed into it.

"S-Sorry... I'm so s- _sorry_ , Diana... I-I-"

"Akko..."

Akko sniffles deeply several times, wiping her sleeves over her eyes, then looks up. With a small grunt of effort, Diana rights herself as best she can in this position, moving her arms despite how much they're shaking. She rests them around Akko's shoulders and pulls her in.

"Did I not tell you... to be quiet...?"

Diana gives a bit of a tug, one that makes Akko squeak in surprise as she's gently yanked into Diana's embrace.

"Do not apologize," she murmurs. "Do not even... consider it..."

Diana's been so weak. All this time, she's been so terribly _weak_.

But now, her strength is returning.

Bit by bit, ounce by ounce.

And she uses it all to hold Akko close.

Closer than ever before.

Akko whimpers into her shoulder and returns the embrace with equal fervor.

"B-But... I-"

" _You came back..."_ Diana breathes. "You... You came back to me... At long last, you came back... Thank you, Akko..."

Akko breaks down all over again.

_Why? Why is Diana thanking me? She should be blaming me for leaving in the first place... I'm the reason all of these horrible things happened to her. It's because of me she nearly lost her magic again... If I'd just told her the truth sooner... or never left at all..._

"Why...?" she croaks. "H-How can you say that, Diana? After a-all I did..."

" _Because_ -" Diana chokes. "Because... you are _alive..._ I... all this time, I have been trying to believe... as you would have wanted me to. But... part of me saw no reason to any longer. Part of me thought..." She can't bear to say it. Diana sobs again, shaking hard.

"B-But you... you did not leave me after all... and you came back... So thank you, Akko... Thank you for... for coming back to me... For letting me _believe_..."

Diana tightens her grip, and Akko does the same, pressing close until they can feel their heartbeats overlapping.

"S-Still... I-I should've... told you sooner... I shouldn't have waited-"

"Akko."

Diana ease herself back so Akko may see her face. Akko chokes again.

Diana's blue eyes are shining brightly, all but sparkling.

And her smile...

It's the first _real_ smile she's ever worn since she'd lost her.

It is from the heart.

Diana pulls Akko down for another soft kiss.

"None of that matters anymore. None of it. It is behind us, Akko. You are here now... and that is all that matters."

"But-"

Akko is about to say more, to voice more of her regrets and her guilt.

But she forgets whatever she'd been about to say.

Diana kisses her again, silencing her ever so gently, with tender lips and ginger hands.

And Akko knows Diana is right. There is no use in regretting the past. Because it's over, and it isn't ever coming back.

What lies before them is a much brighter future. It's illuminated now by the joint glow of their rings, but that isn't all.

There is still a bit of magic lingering around Akko's wand, swirling pink and gold and purple.

And it isn't long before it's joined by another glow.

This light comes from Diana herself.

It is lighter, blue and green in hue.

Her magic has come back to her.

And it winds together with Akko's, dancing in a lively, colorful display of light.

It combats the darkness, chases it all away until there are no shadows left.

Light.

Diana's finally found her light.

It's returned to her at long last.

"Thank goodness..."

She can't stop crying. After so long of never being able to shed a tear, now she can't stop crying.

Of course, Akko can't stop either. She blubbers much more loudly than Diana's voice is capable of, and it makes Diana's smile stay.

Hearing Akko's sobs, her voice, her whispers.

Feeling her body against hers, her warmth, her pulse.

And her scent.

_How could I ever have forgotten...?_

Akko smells like earth, freedom, and cake.

All of these things reassure Diana, confirm it's all real.

Even when she can't keep her eyes open to see her, Akko is still there.

"I'm here..." Akko promises once more. "I'm home, Diana. And I'm... I'm never leaving you again..."

"...You most certainly are not," Diana sniffles. She wipes her eyes, then seeks Akko's. "Welcome home, Akko..."

Finally, Akko manages to giggle past the tears. Diana can't remember the last time she'd heard her laughter.

Akko loops her arms around the small of Diana's back, then leans back. She plops herself onto the floor, lying on her back, and holds Diana on top of her chest, squeezing and nuzzling her everywhere she can.

Akko peppers kisses all over her tearstained face, through her frazzled hair, and across her beautiful lips. She can feel Diana's heart soaring, thrumming right up against her own.

She's as soft, as warm, and as beautiful as Akko remembers.

Their bodies mold together perfectly. After all, their marriage ceremony had confirmed they had quite literally been made for one another.

Their hearts, their souls, their magics.

It all resonates, surging together to create an unmistakable feeling.

Something that can and will only ever be _theirs_.

Diana kisses her wife repeatedly, laughing and crying, crying and laughing. The lights of their rings and their magics dance around them, vivacious and joyous.

Akko lets her voice ring out, giggles mixed with hiccups and sobs. She keeps her hold around Diana firm, and gently rolls them over.

And it's... almost like she'd never left.

Akko kisses her again.

"Diana..."

"Akko..."

Akko sits herself up, keeping one arm braced around Diana's back, and pulls her up until their faces are level once again.

Their lips come together with a bit more passion, a bit more surety.

It's real.

 _It's real_.

Their arms find purchase around one another.

Their magics dance.

Their hearts beat as one.

And their voices speak the same vow.

_"I love you..."_

They've always known. They always will.

But from now on, they'll be able to remind each other every day, and every night.

For the rest of their lives.

They'll never stop believing.

In their magics.

In their own hearts.

And in each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Don't worry, there's more to come! These two have a lot more to discuss, after all.
> 
> Neon's beautiful comic for their reunion scene can be found here: theneonflower,tumblr,com/post/161333387022
> 
> Please leave comments or kudos!


	4. In The Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the painful reunion, they deserve a bit of time to settle down, don't you think?
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Little Witch Academia.

Chapter 4. In The Dark

It's surreal.

Like living a dream.

They both whittle away the nighttime hours together there in Diana's office, until the tears have finally stopped. It takes them a long time, but eventually they are able to pull themselves apart from one another, just long enough to stand.

Akko helps Diana to her feet, holding tightly to her hands and wrists, supporting her for all she's worth and then some.

In the private secrecy of the late hour, Diana guides them back to her room.

No – _their_ room.

It's always been their room.

She closes and locks the door behind them once they've entered and coaxes Akko inside.

Akko takes it all in. It's her own room, and yet she hasn't been in it for three years.

But it's all very familiar; the bookshelves, the arrangement of the furniture, the angle of the moonlight seeping in through the windows...

Diana has never touched any of Akko's clothes except to organize them. They're all still here.

However, they are cold and haven't been washed for quite some time, which has Diana insisting Akko wear one of her outfits tonight. Diana pulls out her own nightgown, then offers Akko another.

It's the first time they've changed clothes beside one another in three years, the first times they've seen one another in sleepwear.

Everything is something they already know, but have been without all this time since they'd been separated.

Akko can't change quickly enough. It feels wrong for her not to be holding Diana or touching her in some way now that she's back. She drops her folded robes and hat in a pile on the floor and pulls Diana in from behind, burying her face into the nape of her neck. She wraps her arms around her wife's stomach and squeezes gently.

Diana frees her hair from its ponytail, lays her arms over Akko's, then guides each of her hands up to her lips. She kisses Akko's ring, and then her own.

The moon is high in the sky by the time they finally reach their bed.

Both of them hesitate when they get there. Akko keeps ahold of Diana's hand, lacing their fingers together.

"Wow... it's been so long since I've... slept in my own bed..." She turns to her wife, her voice once again thick with concern. "You must've been so lonely. You'd always get cold really easily at night. A-And I wasn't here to keep you warm, o-or help you through your nightmares. And you always looked so _tired_ -"

"Hush..." Diana silences her again with another chaste kiss. "All of that... ends tonight."

Akko sniffles again, finding more tears already dripping down. She rubs her free hand over her face.

"Right... you're right..."

But Akko's still having trouble accepting this. Somehow, it doesn't feel right that she should be cuddling up comfortably in this bed tonight when Diana's spent so many sleepless nights alone here, suffering in cold silence.

Diana can sense her timidity. Therefore, she sits herself down on the edge of the bed first, then invites Akko to do the same.

Akko sits close beside her, their thighs brushing, keeping a firm hold on her hand.

But it still isn't enough contact for Akko. They've both been deprived of it for so long.

So she releases Diana's hand only to drape her arm over the small of her back instead, pulling her wife in as close as she can. Diana's hands are in her lap, and Akko covers them with her own. Her skin is a little cold, but Akko starts warming her up gradually.

Both of them harbor the mutual, silent knowledge that they likely will not sleep tonight. Not in all of this anxious excitement. The eustress is palpable and they are both far too jittery for sleep.

So they do the only other thing they know how to.

They talk.

All throughout the night, they tell each other of their private struggles over these past three years, opening their hearts and laying all their emotions bare for the other to comprehend.

Akko apologizes more than anything.

For leaving Diana in the first place. For not coming back to her sooner. For allowing her to suffer alone so severely she'd nearly lost her magic and the last of her willpower.

But each time she apologizes and sobs, Diana quiets her with another kiss, each more tender and loving than the one before.

She shares her story in turn, confessing all of her grief and her sorrow to Akko.

Akko listens to it all with a heavy heart.

At least _she_ had known all along that Diana was alive. She'd even stuck close to her here at Luna Nova.

But Diana had never known of Akko's whereabouts or her condition.

"Many times... I had thought you might... no longer be of this world..."

It breaks Akko's heart to hear her say it, even though she's known all along Diana must have considered it. When she tapers off, Akko hugs her again.

"I'm sorry..."

It takes some time for Diana to be able to go on.

She tells Akko of her efforts to be a strong-willed headmistress on her own. Of course, she'd had her colleagues and old professors to help her. But without Akko, she'd never once felt complete.

Akko is sure to chime in to assure Diana of how wonderfully she's been running Luna Nova.

"It's ten times better than when we went here!" she declares. "All of the students and staff love it, and they all love _you_ , Diana! You're such a kind and caring headmistress, and you have such a calm, professional presence around campus that puts everyone at ease! You're involved with the students and their activities and they only ever say good things about you! Trust me! I've heard them!"

Diana actually blushes a little bit at that.

"I... I am glad to hear that," she murmurs. "I had always feared I might be inadequate-"

"Inadequate? _You?_ " Akko scoffs. "That's like saying Chariot can't fly a broom!"

"Chariot...?" Diana finds it just a little peculiar that Akko would bring up their childhood idol and beloved professor now of all times. She has an inkling there's something more to that. And she's proven correct a moment later when Akko looks down into her lap.

"Yeah... actually... Chariot knew who I was from the start... My disguise wasn't as good as I'd thought it was. She helped me. But she promised she wouldn't tell you about me until I was ready... Not unless it was... a life-threatening situation..."

Akko squeezes her eyes shut and shakes her head quickly to clear it. "I wish she'd... knocked some sense into me sooner. But she let me wait this long... No, it's not her I should be blaming-"

"There is no one to blame, Akko." Diana's fingers lightly trace along her side, rubbing up and down from her shoulder to her hip. "I am well-aware that you did not stay hidden for three years because you wanted to. I know it was the most difficult thing you have ever done. I _know_ that."

Akko finds herself crying all over again.

"Y-Yeah..." she whimpers. "Y-Yeah, i-it was... it was _so_ hard... I-I was so _scared_ , I just couldn't... Every time I tried to, I-I just-"

"Shh..."

Diana wraps her arms around Akko's shoulders, pulling her wife's head to her collar. She cradles Akko there, stroking through her hair. Akko hugs her around the waist and hiccups into her nightgown. Diana keeps her close.

"I understand, Akko. Ever since the attacks... your mind has been plagued. I know you have been suffering just as deeply as I have, if not more..."

She exhales, and Akko hears it tremble. Diana's heart is thumping quickly beneath her ear as she tries to keep her heightened emotions in check.

"And that is why..." Diana leans herself back, tilting Akko's chin upward to meet her gaze. "That is why... I am _so proud_ of you, Akko. For overcoming those fears... and telling me the truth. It proves you are stronger than your fears, your doubts. I am so proud of you..."

It is her turn to bury her face in Akko's neck, sobbing gently, but earnestly. Akko covers Diana in her embrace.

"I... I'd heard from Hannah and Barbara... that you were sick... worse than when I'd left you. Worse than ever... And I was... s-so scared I might lose you... without ever even seeing you again as myself... Without letting you see _me_ again... I was so scared for you, Diana... more than anything..."

Diana waits a moment, until Akko has quieted herself a little bit, just enough to listen.

"And that fear," she murmurs. "Is tied into something much greater, Akko. Something much more powerful. Something much more wonderful. You fear for me with all your heart only because that is how deeply you love me."

Akko nods vigorously, nearly giving herself a headache in the process.

"M-Mmhmm! It's c-cuz I l-love you, Diana, I-I love you so much! And I- even if I just tell you I love you for the rest of my life, I-I'll still never be able to say it enough. I-I love you so much, Diana. I-"

"I know."

Diana hushes her once more with a kiss.

It is in this way, without words, that Diana expresses all Akko says with them.

While Akko makes earnest, blubbering, messy efforts to speak through the sobs and past the tears, Diana conveys it all much more quietly.

She's always loved that heartfelt nature of Akko's. But she feels right now, this way is a little less stressful for the two of them.

Akko willingly melts into the kiss, deepening it just a little. Her hiccups keep popping up though, and whenever they do, Diana is sure to ease back for a second to let her catch her breath.

Akko loses track of how many times she kisses her.

Sometimes, they are small, light, and brief.

Sometimes they last a little longer, are a little fuller, a little more fervent.

And sometimes it's a mixture of the two.

They kiss until the moon has shifted well across the sky.

Akko then sheepishly inquires about her application as a professor, wondering how Diana viewed her performance. Diana muses about the energy and eccentricity of Professor Ophiuchus.

"I have to admit she reminded me of you at times," she confesses. "But as much as I fancied her, I am glad that she is gone."

Akko smiles and wipes her eyes again.

Their conversations turn somewhat more delicate after that. Akko wonders why Diana had never eaten in front of others. Diana heaves a small sigh.

"I would often be ill," she whispers. "Mealtimes were some of the happiest, most carefree memories I had shared with you. So to experience them without you always proved to make my body shut down. I could not allow others to see me that way..."

Akko can't speak in response. She simply hugs Diana close again, and doesn't let go for a long time.

That confession pains Akko much more than it pains Diana.

The white-haired witch waits until her wife has calmed down again. She knows there are many more serious and upsetting matters they might discuss about their time apart.

However, this is more than enough for tonight. She needs them both to allow themselves to enjoy their reunion.

Therefore, Diana lightens the inquires, and wonders why Akko chose to teach Mystic Biology. She expresses her admiration for Akko's improved and extensive knowledge of magic.

Bit by bit, their smiles return, and last longer on their faces than the tears do.

They talk, hug, and kiss.

Until the night has brought them to its quietest hour.

It is the hour when the air is stillest, when it is easiest to breathe, and when true and utter silence can be heard.

By this time, Akko can barely keep her eyes open, and Diana's weight is all but limp at her side. Their conversations have stopped, and for a time, they simply sit in that silence, relishing it, feeling each other breathe.

Then, some mutual feeling compels them both to look up.

They come to a silent agreement.

That this is more than enough for tonight.

That they have the rest of their lives to address everything else that requires addressing.

But for now, they must address their complete exhaustion.

Diana draws her legs up onto the bed, pulls down the blankets, and lays herself down. Akko slowly crawls in beside her and takes her proper place.

The mattress and pillowcase are cold, and it sends a chill through her as she settles her weight.

But it's not a second later when Akko's turning onto her side to pull her precious wife into her arms once again.

She pulls the blankets up and over Diana, whose back is shaking from a combination of chills and sobs. Akko warms her up for all the times she's let her suffer through it alone, trying to amend for those nights now. She rubs her palms up and down Diana's back and over her shoulders.

In turn, Diana clings to her waist and back, muffling her hiccups into Akko's chest.

Akko holds her for all the times she'd failed to.

She hugs her.

She kisses her.

She keeps her warm.

She'll never fail to do any of those things ever again.

A few more tears slip from her eyes and into Diana's hair, and she can feel Diana's tears seeping into her clothes as well.

Akko simply holds her.

How long she'd waited to do this again.

How many nights she'd dreamed of this, fooled herself into imagining Diana was in her arms when it was nothing more than ruffled sheets in reality.

How many nights she'd cried alone, knowing Diana never had that liberty.

Akko presses her palms over Diana's back, lightly tracing the area marked by her scar. Even after all this time apart from her, she still knows it perfectly.

She can feel Diana's hands doing the same on her own back, though her wife's hands move weakly as a result of her severe fatigue.

So much has happened this evening.

 _Everything they've ever wanted_ has happened this evening.

But Diana's been through so much pain, too.

Akko knows she is in dire need of sleep. She rests her chin atop her wife's head and whispers to her.

"Rest, Diana..." she murmurs. "I promise I'll still be here when you wake up. I'm not going anywhere anymore. _I promise._ "

Akko pulls away just a little and moves herself down until she is face-level with Diana. She kisses from her forehead to the bridge of her nose, and then lightly over both of her eyelids before traveling down to her lips.

But Diana opens her eyes once more, still stubborn as ever.

"Not yet," she whispers. "Not until I am... absolutely certain there is no way for you to leave me."

Diana pushes herself up a little, until she is the one resting her chin on Akko's head. She wraps Akko in a tight embrace and pulls her close, cradling her there.

She's spent far too many nights being unable to hold her like this. Diana won't waste another opportunity from this moment forward.

This is a silent vow she makes to herself.

She keeps Akko in her arms and refuses to let go.

And Akko finds herself in her favorite place. In a soft, warm bed, safely and happily pressed against her wife, who is even softer and warmer.

Akko sidles into her favorite position, one she's been desperate to return to. She lays her ear over Diana's collar and listens.

Just listens.

Her special heartbeat fills Akko's mind, leaving no room for any other less favorable things. The gentle pulses provide relief for Akko's troubled thoughts, relief she can and will only ever find when she's in Diana's loving embrace.

She listens to her favorite lullaby, one that sings to its own unique rhythm.

She only has one last thing to say tonight.

"Goodnight, Diana. I love you..."

And Diana is just barely conscious enough to repeat it back to her.

"I love you... Akko... goodnight..."

The last of their tears have been shed for tonight. The last of their fears have been banished.

Akko places one more small kiss over the scar on Diana's chest, and feels the exact moment when she finally falls asleep. Her pulse softens just a little, and her breathing deepens.

For the first time in three years, Diana finally falls asleep warmly and peacefully.

_I'll make sure it's like this from now on, too..._

Akko keeps her eyes open to help keep herself awake for a while longer.

She just needs to savor it all. To relish the sound of Diana's pulse, the feeling of her chest rising and falling against hers.

Akko hugs herself closer, repeating her silent vow.

_I won't leave you again. Not ever._

From now on, she'll be there when Diana wakes up every morning, and when she falls asleep each night.

She'll be there when Diana cries, when she can't bring herself to eat, when she's sick and in pain.

And she'll be there when Diana smiles, when she finally remembers how to laugh again, when she's in high spirits and good health.

Akko will be here through it all from now on. For the rest of their lives.

She's going to keep that vow she made on their wedding day, to always be by Diana's side.

Only from now on, Diana will know it's her for sure.

Finally, Akko closes her eyes, and allows sleep to take her. She'll be with Diana there, too.

Their rings continue to glow all through the night, shining faintly, but consistently, resonating now that they are together once more.

At long last, Akko and Diana have reunited.

There is so much they have to do together from now on, so much they still have to say.

But for now, they rest as they had always been meant to rest, or do anything else – together, with their hearts beating as one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Can you imagine? Being apart from the person you love the most for three years and then finally being reunited by surprise? How that first night alone together again must feel? I doubt I could do such a profound scene justice, but I tried.
> 
> Just a little epilogue to go!
> 
> Please leave comments or kudos!


	5. Epilogue. Sunrise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally, I didn't intend to write a "day after" scenario, but as I was writing I got an idea and then it had to be done. Remember I wrote this entire fic in just a day, so I just did whatever I thought of at the time aahah
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Little Witch Academia.

Epilogue. Sunrise

Morning comes, and it's quiet.

But for the first time in three years, it isn't cold anymore.

Diana wakes with a sharp gasp as everything comes flooding back to her. Eyes wide, she's about to scour the room-

But she doesn't have to look far.

Akko is here.

She's right here.

Right in her arms.

Just like she promised.

Diana can hear her bubbly little snores, feel her loose embrace around her back, smell her familiar scent. Her clothes and hair are slightly ruffled, and there's a little bit of drool hanging off the side of her mouth.

It's truthfully like she'd never left at all, like Diana had never slept a single night without her.

It's all so much...

Diana feels the hiccups popping in her stomach, and gradually working their way up her throat. Her body jolts from them, and her breathing hitches as she locks her arms around Akko's back. She tries to stifle her sobs, wanting to let her rest longer.

But it's only a moment later when Akko subconsciously senses something is amiss with her wife. Her eyelids shift and lift up, and a small moan escapes her as her senses all return.

Diana is warm in her embrace, but Akko can feel her shaking, hear her choppy little gasps.

"Mn... Diana...?" Startled, Akko eases herself back and quickly scans her wife, eyes wide. "Diana? Are you okay?"

Frantically, Akko begins wiping Diana's tears one by one, then rests her head against her collar to check her pulse. It's a little fast, but nothing dangerous.

It takes Diana a moment to find her voice.

"Am I... okay, she asks..."

She runs her fingers up and down Akko's back gently, holding her as though she's made of glass – as though she's the most precious and beautiful thing in the world.

"Of course I am... You kept your promise, Akko... Thank you..."

"Of course I did." Akko sighs into her neck. "I'll never leave you like that again, Diana. I swear it with all my heart. I-If there was a spell or something I could cast to make a vow, I'd do it-"

"There is no need." Diana rests her forehead against Akko's, gazing deeply into her eyes. "I trust you, Akko. I believe you."

Akko breathes a sigh of relief and brings her in close once again.

The room is just beginning to fill with pale morning light, indicating the early hour.

Akko shifts her weight a little, lying Diana down on her back and carefully resting herself on top. She nuzzles her chest, then begins to trail kisses up from her collar to her neck, to her cheeks and her forehead, then back down to her nose and her lips.

Diana loops her arms around her shoulders and pulls her down to deepen it, kissing back with a soft but ardent desperation.

They kiss many times, and for a long time.

Sometimes, they are still, letting their bodies press together, sharing their warmth, their breathing, their heartbeats.

Diana cries, but it is out of joy, out of relief.

Akko cries less from regret now, and more out of happiness, as well.

But just to be safe, they ask one another anyway.

Akko brushes her cheek along Diana's and kisses her ear.

"Why are you crying?"

Diana sighs against her shoulder.

"Because I... I have not been this happy... in three years..." She threads her fingers through Akko's hair, idly making tiny little braids. "Why are you?"

Akko chuckles and sniffles.

"Because you're just... so beautiful..."

"Flatterer."

"No! I mean it, Diana-"

Diana silences her with another kiss.

Akko slips one hand behind her wife's head, placing the other on her side.

She just wants to feel every part of her. She wants to breathe her in.

Akko can feel the soft rise and fall of Diana's stomach beneath her own, feel the excited thrum of her heartbeat, feel the way her breath fans out across her lips...

And then, another small gasp.

Akko pulls back.

"What is it?"

Diana's eyes have gone wide, but not in fear or distress.

Instead she seems genuinely... perplexed.

"Akko..." she murmurs. "What exactly are we... going to _do_ about you...?"

"...Ah..."

They hadn't considered it until now.

There'd been so much else to focus on last night, immensely better things.

But now, with the new day arriving, they'll have to go back to Luna Nova, back to their students and colleagues...

Akko stutters again.

"U-Uhh..."

"In any case," Diana says. "Let us get dressed. We can discuss this as we go along."

"R-Right!" Akko climbs off of her, then helps Diana sit up. But before she can get out of bed, Akko hugs her again, giving her an extra tight squeeze. "I love you so much..."

With a smile, Diana pats her back.

"I love you too, Akko. So very much..."

Just one more moment.

Just one more heartbeat.

At last, they bring themselves apart, but not entirely. They hold hands as they get up from the bed, and make the blankets as neatly as they can without letting go of each other.

Only when they pick up their clothes do they realize they have to let go for a moment.

They discuss what they're going to do, and come to a mutual agreement promptly.

Diana makes a call request for room service, and Akko hides herself as the food is being delivered.

They share their first meal together after all this time. Akko still all but gorges herself when she eats, while Diana daintily takes her time. Akko notes that she doesn't eat much, and remembers what Diana had told her last night.

When Diana can't eat any more, Akko leans softly against her shoulder and takes her left hand, bringing it to her lips to kiss her ring. She hugs her one more time before putting on her disguise as per usual, only this morning, Diana braids her hair for her.

When they are ready, they leave the room, mentally preparing themselves for what's to come.

* * *

Diana makes a surprise announcement this morning.

She cancels the first classes of the day and invites all students and staff to the main auditorium.

Of course everyone is shocked and excited.

Some are still mumbling about their concern for their headmistress, fearing she will be making the announcement that she can no longer use magic.

But Diana dashes those fears right from the start, lifting her wand and casting a spell that fills the air with golden glitter and light, putting on an extravagant display that surprises and delights every person in the room. Hannah and Barbara squeal in relief and start crying long before anyone else does.

Everyone is filled with joy and pleasant surprise to see their headmistress once again vivaciously and effortlessly casting magic.

But what astonishes them even more now is when she addresses them all-

"Good morning, students and staff of Luna Nova."

_-with a smile._

Most of the students have never seen their headmistress smile before. Only some of the older staff have ever seen such a wonderful sight, but not in recent years.

Everyone's got a million and one questions on their minds and on their tongues, but Diana calls for silence.

"It is with great pride and even greater joy that I introduce you all... to a _very_ special person..."

There's so much emotion in her voice, in her expression, and in her eyes. Everyone holds their breaths in excitement to know more.

But heads start turning when Professor Ophiuchus appears onstage. After all, she's been here for three years already. They can't understand why the headmistress is presenting her now, at a surprise assembly.

But as they watch their red-haired professor take a bow, when she next pulls her hat over her face...

...she looks very different.

The students don't understand right away. Most of them have only ever heard of Atsuko Kagari, but have never seen her.

However, the witches who had once been her classmates can't keep quiet.

A certain Lotte Yanson, who runs a local magic shop with her wife, blurts out her old friend's name.

"Akko?! S-Sucy! It really _was_ her, Sucy!"

Sucy's eye widens a little at the revelation. She smirks.

"I always knew it..."

Nearby, matching shrieks of surprise split the air from where Hannah and Barbara are huddled together, still crying happily.

"Akko?!"

"It's Akko!"

With their professors and seniors all crying out and applauding, the students begin to realize what's happening.

Atsuko Kagari.

'Akko.'

The witch they've heard about in so many lectures.

The witch who once studied here in hopes of following in Chariot's footsteps.

The witch who had succeeded, and then disappeared.

The witch who had unlocked the seal of the Grand Triskelion alongside their headmistress over half a decade ago.

The witch who had saved the headmistress after she'd been viciously attacked.

The witch who had fallen in love with her many years ago.

This is the headmistress' long-lost wife.

Now they understand.

And one by one, the students burst out into tears, crying and wailing and clinging to one another.

They've all dreamed of this day, even those who had never known Akko. They've all wished the day would come when their headmistress would be reunited with the person she loves so dearly.

And it's arrived.

Akko's finally come home.

The entire room is filled with raw emotion, an unbridled, messy, but still beautiful chorus of sobs and cheers and laughter.

Akko takes Diana's hand and faces the crowds, with tears in her eyes, but a smile in her voice.

"Hi, everyone! My name is Professor Atsuko Kagari-Cavendish! Nice to meet you!"

She arcs her free hand high above her head, casting a new wave of pink glitter to join the golden light Diana had cast.

The crowds shriek and squeal, clapping and crying. One student gets and idea and spreads it to her classmates, until every student has raised her wand and joined in with their own magic.

Together, they shift the glitter into shapes, characters, letters.

Until Akko can read it from her standpoint onstage:

_Welcome back!_

Akko lets her tears flow freely. Her eyes scan the room, over the faces of all her beloved students, painted with gleeful tears and smiles.

Then to her own professors who have stayed. They are also wiping their eyes, even Chariot, who had known all along. She meets Akko's gaze with a smile, and dips her head.

Then Akko looks to her old friends.

Something tells her Lotte and Sucy always knew. She can't wait to run to them later and throw her arms around them both.

But for now, she simply laughs and waves. They smile and call out for her.

"Akko! Welcome back!" Lotte cries.

"I know you've always been a little slow," Sucy calls. "But it's about time!"

"Hey- Sucy!"

Akko bursts out laughing. They haven't changed a bit.

She sweeps her gaze over every person in the room.

Until there's only one left.

Diana's eyes are shining, as though there are entire galaxies reflected in them, the sparkle of nighttime stars in the blue of the daytime sky.

The tears slip down her cheeks, but pass over a heartfelt smile on the way.

Akko turns to her, and for a moment, the rest of the world disappears. She takes hold of both of her wife's hands now and steps close.

And they kiss.

For all of Luna Nova to see.

The crying and the applause increase tenfold, tiny magical fireworks shooting up into the air in celebration.

From this moment forward, Diana doesn't have to oversee Luna Nova alone any longer.

She doesn't have to do _anything_ alone anymore.

Akko will be by her side, just as she'd promised.

There is so much they have taught the magical world, and so much they have left to teach.

But there is perhaps one thing they have taught above all others.

Something a famous witch had once said.

Something they have proven innumerable times through their love for one another.

_"A believing heart is your magic."_


End file.
